“IS IT TRUE” FROM YESTERYEAR
IS IT TRUE Weinzapfel left Mayor Elect Winnecke to unravel the McCurdy debacle?…that manacled to the left arm of Mayor-Elect Winnecke is the ball and chain labeled “FORD CENTER” bonds payments? …that until last night Mayor Elect Winnecke at least had the use of his right arm to handle programs of his own creation?
CCO to File Freedom of Information Request with the Evansville Redevelopment Commission and DMD
CCO to File Freedom of Information Request with the Evansville Redevelopment Commission and DMD
For the last several months, the City-County Observer has been receiving complaints from numerous people about the Evansville Redevelopment Commission not posting their agenda or officially approved minutes of their recent monthly meetings on their web site.
By doing so, this would quickly resolve our readers’ issues without any public conflict. However, I am disappointed to say that it is obvious that the ERC will not be forthcoming by posting the details of their recent meetings. What puzzles us is that this information was posted in prior years, but this procedure hasn’t consistently been followed in recent months.
As you all know, the Redevelopment Commission handles many millions of taxpayer dollars each year to fund facade grants, loans for condo development, multi-million dollar capital projects for the North Main Street corridor and downtown Main street area and money for start-up and expansion of businesses. It has also been rumored by reliable sources that they may have used public funds to provide seed money for the Evansville Thunderbolts hockey team.
Since they handle federal, state, and local funds for the projects stated above, I feel that this organization should be transparent and held accountable for their actions. By not providing the details of their agenda and minutes to the general public, the ERC isn’t being a “good steward” of the public trust.
I’m presently working on preparing a Freedom of Information Request to submit to the officials of the Department of Metropolitan Development and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission. I will be requesting that they provide the City-County Observer with the minutes and agendas for meetings in 2018 and 2019. After reviewing this information, I may be requesting that they also provide us with all appropriate notes, texts, and e-mails pertaining to transactions of interest.
As soon as I receive this information (and we will be getting it since they are a publicly-funded entity), we will publish them in the City-County Observer without editing. I’d like to thank our readers for directing our attention to this important public policy issue.
Sincerely,
Timothy Justin Phillips
City-County Observer Editor
CEO and Chief Innovation Officer Joe Jack Wallace Publishes First Book “Living Outside the Boxâ€
   Coachella Valley Economic Partnership (CVEP) CEO and Chief Innovation Officer Joe Jack Wallace Publishes First Book “Living Outside the Boxâ€
Palm Springs, CA (April 23, 2019)– The Coachella Valley Economic Partnership (CVEP) is pleased to announce that CEO and Chief Innovation Officer, Joe Wallace has published his first book. Living Outside the Box is based on the premise that it takes more than simply thinking outside the box to have a positive impact, it takes actually doing something. It originates from a meeting that was being scheduled to “think outside the box†when Wallace had the epiphany that such meetings are futile unless they are followed up with tangible actions. Tangible actions, of course, take courage and involve risks.
Living Outside the Box addresses the habits that are needed to be poised to succeed or help others to do so. These include recognizing significant things (the dots) before trying to connect them, exposing shortcomings with grace and executing a vision. Wallace also expands on how CVEP seized upon the opportunity presented by the Amazon announcement to seek a second headquarters to communicate about the importance of digital infrastructure and STEM education for regions that aspire to participate in leading-edge economies.Â
“This book has been in my mind for 10 years. It was time to put it onto paper. It is always actions that drive positive change. Actions are what make thinking outside the box worth the effort†Mr. Wallace commented. Wallace’s book debuted as the #1 New Release in three separate categories on Amazon including Green Business and Intergovernmental Organizations Policy. “Writing this has been a pleasant way to reminisce about the movers and shakers who I have had the privilege of calling friends,†he said.
CVEP recruited Wallace to the Coachella Valley in 2012 to become the founding director of the Palm Springs iHub. He was elevated to CEO in 2015. He has since transformed CVEP into an economic development entity that concentrates on entrepreneurship in high wage business sectors to lead the Coachella Valley business community toward a year-round economy that promotes prosperity in a region that offers an ideal lifestyle at affordable prices.
About CVEP
CVEP was established in 1994 as the regional economic development agency for Greater Palm Springs. CVEP’s mission is to diversify and elevate the economy of the region by fostering technology-based entrepreneurship, attracting businesses and aiding existing businesses in expansions. CVEP also charts the course to the future in infrastructure, education and maintaining a business-friendly atmosphere. For more information: CVEP.com or (760) 340-1575.
About Joe Jack Wallace
Joe Jack Wallace hails from the small community of Sturgis, Kentucky (pop. 1,800. He graduated from Stanford University. Prior to entering the world of managing non-profits, Wallace was the founder of several entrepreneurial businesses in the data storage industry. Joe can be contacted at LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-wallace-4646a24/; email, joe.wallace@cvep.com or phone (812) 431-3877.
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AG Curtis Hill Continues To Seek U.S. Supreme Court Ruling On Indiana Law Requiring Fetal Ultrasounds
Attorney General Curtis Hill continues to argue that the U.S. Supreme Court should overturn a lower court’s ruling invalidating an Indiana law requiring fetal ultrasounds at least 18 hours prior to abortions. In July of 2018, a panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed a district court’s injunction against the law, expressing the view that it placed an undue burden on women seeking abortions.
This week, Attorney General Hill filed the state’s latest brief in the case Box v. Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky.
The Indiana law at issue essentially combines two Indiana statutes that have been on the books for years. In 1995, the Indiana General Assembly passed the informed-consent statute, which specified that a woman must receive, in person, information relevant to abortion and childbirth at least 18 hours before an abortion. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a similar statute in Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey.
Then, in 2011, Indiana legislators passed another law requiring an ultrasound be performed before an abortion. The law required medical staff to show the ultrasounds to women seeking abortions unless the women expressed in writing that they did not wish to see them. In 2016, lawmakers added the provision at issue in Box v. Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky, stipulating that the required ultrasound take place at the informed-consent appointment at least 18 hours before the abortion procedure.
“For women considering abortions, ultrasounds are an important part of informed-consent counseling,†Attorney General Hill said. “Anyone interested in protecting women’s health, including their mental health, should support giving them as much information as possible to aid their decision-making. Empowering women with knowledge is fully consistent with the U.S. Constitution.â€
St. Vincent Evansville Birth Announcements
Briana and Tate Hawkins, Evansville, son, Samuel Edward, April 12
Jamialia Lewis and Cortez Grant, Evansville, son, Khy’Re Leemar, April 15
Haley Overton and Cody Smith, Mount Vernon, IN, son, Jhasiah T, April 15
Mindy Madison and Cameron Minor, Evansville, daughter, Jazz’lyn Estelle, April 16
Emily and Colin Smith, Newburgh, daughter, Clara Raeann, April 16
Alison and TJ Bates, Newburgh, son, Jude Russell, April 16
Erin and Chad Perkins, Evansville, daughter, Palmer Lake, April 16
Amiee Hurst and Kent Parks, Evansville, daughter, Kynslee Rae, April 17
Katie and Ryan Reiter, Evansville, daughter, Sayler Ryan, April 17
Tess and Andrew Miller, Evansville, daughter, Drew Violette Jayne, April 18
Deidre and Robert Dyson, Evansville, son, James Brian Ray, April 18
Kelli and Ross Robertson, Evansville, daughter, Claire Nicole, April 19